Eight Easy Steps
by Angel Leviathan
Summary: I'll show you how to, in eight easy steps, I'll show you how leadership looks when taught by the best.
1. I'll teach you all this

Title: Eight Easy Steps

Author: Angel Leviathan

Spoilers: Anything, everything.

Season: Time-line starts at 'Grace', Season 7. Set around three years past that. Humour me and pretend Janet's alive.

Disclaimer: SG-1 isn't mine. Maddie, Lanna, Tom and Matt are though.

* * *

"Carter, you sure you want to do this?" 

"Why not? We've been saying we'd implement this training program for months."

"And you were awake until 3am last night worrying about it."

She frowned, "How do you know?"

"You kicked me and woke me up," he replied, drolly.

Sam winced, "Sorry."

"If I was that bothered about it, you'd have heard about it the instant I woke up," Jack grinned and rested his head on her shoulder, standing behind her, arms around her waist, "But seriously, if you-"

"They're here, I'm here, I'd better get on with it," Sam smiled, "Sir."

He released her and reached for the door to his office, "Go get 'em then."

She touched his arm, would have been for a brief moment, before she discovered she couldn't break the contact. Sam looked down at the ground, eyes slightly glazed, as if she could see into a horizon nobody else could, "…She would have been a year old in three days…"

He slipped his free arm back around her waist and rested his head against hers, "…I know, Sam…I know…"

"…I miss her…" she admitted, softly, "…We only had her for a couple of weeks…but…"

"She was ours," Jack tightened his grip on her, "She was our daughter. Nobody forgets."

She twisted in his arms and kissed his cheek, "Ever." Sam shook herself and managed to return her facial expression back to the ever-efficient Colonel, shooting an experimental smile in his direction as she left his office, closing the door behind her. Walking briskly into the briefing room, she tried the smile again and nodded to the four people before her who hurriedly stood up, and to attention.

"At ease," she stated, "No need to go so formal on me already."

A mixture of 'sorry Ma'am' and 'sorry, Sir''s met her ears as they re-seated themselves, and she sat down at the head of the table, "As you presumably already know, I'm Colonel Samantha Carter and I'll be your instructor for the next week. From your earlier briefing, I assume you know what this course involves?"

Major Madeleine 'Maddie' Hawthorn was the first to speak, "Leadership in the field, Ma'am?" her dark eyes betrayed the fear that she was wrong, or speaking out of turn.

"Yes, Major."

The woman breathed an audible sigh of relief, earning her a grin from her neighbour.

"Something funny, Major Tiari?" Sam questioned.

Lanna stared down at the table and shook her head, "No, Ma'am."

The two male officers seated across the table from the women were clearly amused by her dressing down, to which Sam objected.

"Major, Colonel, anything you wish to add?"

"No, Sir."  
"No, Ma'am"

"Good. Now that's sorted, I should tell you why you are here. The four of you have been chosen to take command of four new SG teams once they are formed," Sam stood up, "Your performance as officers and leaders has already been noted, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Over the next week your skills will be put to the test and hopefully you'll learn a few things whilst you're at it."

"Excuse me, Colonel?" Colonel Tom Albers interrupted.

"Colonel Albers?"

"Will this training be off-world or here on Earth?"

"Both," Sam nodded, "As you know, potential officers for the SGC are put through scenarios here on Earth, however, most of your training this week will be off-world, including a mission that even I do not yet know about."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Tom answered.

She started handing out the notes made on the week's course, "Enclosed are the times, dates, 'where and when's' and objectives of this week. I'll tell you now, its not going to be easy," she said this as she handed a set to Lanna Tiari, who blanched a rather unfortunate shade of white, "My team and I have learnt many things the hard way over the years. Though you are here for leadership instruction, you will also be required to work as a team. As of this moment, you are all of equal rank," Sam reclaimed her seat, "I am your CO and you will report to me and me only. I will decide who is in charge on your missions. You will all have equal opportunities, but I will not stand for one-up-manship this week, understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Maddie nodded.

"Colonel."

"Yes, Sir."

Colonel Albers remained silent.

"Albers?" Sam prompted.

"…Yes, Ma'am," he muttered.

"Something on your mind, Colonel?" she pressed.

Tom sighed, "No, Ma'am," his green eyes remained fixed on the table surface.

"Glad to hear it," Sam snapped, "Report back here in five hours. You have this time to prepare and take in what you've heard. We'll be heading out to one of our training facilities later today," she stood up, "Dismissed."

Maddie glared across the table at Tom, who merely grinned, swiping his notes off the table, walking away. Beside her, Lanna sighed and exchanged a worried glance with Matthew Lleweylln, the remaining Major. He shrugged and headed off, the two women slowly pacing after those in front of them.

"By the way," Sam waited until they were about to go through the door, "You've been picked because you're good. Damn good. I expect you to prove that," she nodded a further dismissal.

"Isn't this going to be thrilling…" Tom ran a hand through his black hair, mumbling under his breath as they exited the room.

"What's wrong, Tommy, don't like being back down here with the Majors?" Matt quipped.

"Or don't you like taking orders from a woman?" Maddie grinned slyly.

"Shut up, Maddie," he snapped.

"Hit a sore spot there," Lanna said in a sing-song tone.

"She'll hear you, you know," Matt warned…

Sam leant against the table and let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding, shaking her head, trying to hide a smile.

"Good going, Carter," Jack appeared from his office, grinning.

"Did you pick them on purpose, Sir?" she dared to ask.

"I thought they'd be an interesting lot," he shrugged, "but you wouldn't want me to go easy on you now, would you?"

She pondered this for a moment, "…No. But I can tell this week is going to be a hell of a lot of fun…"

"They're good, Sam," Jack stated, "better than good. Too good," he raised an eyebrow, "Some of them remind me of a young Captain I met a few years ago…"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. But I shouldn't talk about her too much. Wife might get angry."

"She might indeed," Sam smiled, "You want to go get some lunch?"

"Sure."


	2. How to defer to men in solvable predicam...

"…You're joking right…Ma'am?" Albers frowned as he was handed an intar.

Sam halted, "No, Albers, this is not a joke," she handed the next weapon to Tiari, "unless you want to really be shot at, which I'm sure could be arranged."

Several metres behind her, Jack hid a grin, Daniel almost smirking, the two men leaning against one of the trucks that had escorted them to the training facility.

"No, Ma'am…" Tom hissed, staring at the ground.

"Colonel Carter?" Maddie spoke up.

"Major?" Sam took several steps backward so she had them all in her line of vision.

"What's the purpose of this exercise?" she questioned, twisting her head, regretting braiding her brown hair so tightly.

"I'm just getting to that," Sam stated, softening what could have been a reprimand with a slight smile, "You know what I said about equal rank?"

The four before her nodded, almost as one.

"Well, as of now, Major Tiari is in charge."

Lanna's eyes widened, "…Ma'am?"

"You have command of your team, Major," Sam repeated.

The blonde haired woman stammered a reply, "…I…I really don't think-"

"Come on, Lanna, don't turn it down now," Matt encouraged her.

"There you go," their CO nodded, "Your team has faith in you."

"…Yeah right…" Albers muttered.

"Shut it, Tom," Maddie was just short of aiming her intar.

"Albers, Hawthorn," Sam raised her voice, "Do you have a problem with this scenario?"

"I have a problem with _him,_ Ma'am," the Major stood to attention.

She sighed…evidently this was going to be a long week…, "Colonel, you're out of line. Major Tiari is your superior officer as of now, if you've already forgotten. Hawthorn, deal with it."

"Yes, Ma'am…" Maddie sighed.

Tom simply glared.

"In there," Sam pointed to the warehouse behind them, "you will encounter enemy fire and numerous set traps. Intars are set to max; don't think we're playing here, if you're hit, you're going to fall. Get the tablet, get out, _all_ of you."

"If we get hit or split up?" Matt's dark eyes narrowed.

"Deal with it," Maddie echoed Sam's words.

She nodded, "As Major Hawthorn said, Llewellyn. I expect you all to make it out of there, clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Lanna's voice only shook slightly.

"If every member of your team isn't out of there when you are, you, and therefore, they, fail, understood?" Sam pressed.

"Yes, Colonel."

"Okay!" she started to retreat, "Oh," she stopped, "Albers?"

"Ma'am?"

"Don't even think about falling behind on purpose," she stated, walking away again. Safely back at the truck, beside Jack and Daniel, she hit the button of the remote in her hand, the top windows of the warehouse suddenly spurting flame, "You have ten minutes! Go!" she shouted.

Lanna glanced over her shoulder, worried, trying to steady her nerves, whilst the rest of her team awaited her orders.

Sam smiled at her and nodded, without words.

The Major returned the smile and broke into a slow run ahead of the rest, "Let's go! Stay together!"

"As if we were going to do anything else…" Albers mumbled.

"That's 'as if we were going to do anything else, _Ma'am_!'" Lanna snapped, "Shut up and keep up!"

_"Woah…go Lanna…"_ Maddie grinned and followed her 'CO' into the building.

_"Maybe he'll fall over his mouth instead of a trap…"_ Matt suppressed the thought and hurried inside.

* * *

"You really think Tiari can do it?" Jack questioned.

Sam thought for a moment, "Low self confidence. Isn't helped by Albers and his lack of ability to stay silent. I figure if she can sit on him now, he wont bother her for the rest of the week. Her file was brilliant. If she can just learn that she's capable of leading, then I think she'll make it."

"And if it goes wrong? What if she fails?" Daniel asked.

"Then she fails. She'll be one of the ones that learns the hard way. Either now, or later, one day she will."

Jack grinned at her, "You've got this all sorted out, haven't you?"

"I try, Sir," she smiled.

Daniel frowned, "What's with the 'Sir'?" he teased.

"Easier to keep up this stuff at work," the Colonel explained.

"Can you image what would happen if a visiting general appeared and heard me calling my CO by his first name? We may have been let off the hook, permission and all, but we still have to stick to protocol." Sam grimaced.

"I see your point…"

She checked her watch, "Nine minutes," she looked across at her husband, "Can you tell me anything about that mission yet?"

He shook his head, "Only on the day. I can't do anymore than that. All I can say is; its not just your kids going on it."

Sam stared, "…Really?"

"And its not so straight forward. But it'll sure as hell test them."

"Nothing more?"

"Nope."

She might be married to him…but…

Bastard.

Hey, every 2IC was entitled to call her CO that once in a while.

Sam smiled ever so slightly, "Not even if we're at home and-"

"And this is where I walk away and hide in the truck," Daniel swiftly exited.

* * *

"Maddie, take point, Matt, flank her," Lanna ordered, slowly pacing through the first room, checking behind her every so often, "Albers, six."

"How predictable," he sighed.

"Hey, if I cant trust you to take point then live with it."

"But you trust me to watch your six?"

"Its what you do with other women, isn't it?" Tiari quipped.

"Heads up!" Maddie shouted, ducking for cover as several shots were fired in their direction.

"Shit!" Albers swore, "Pay attention!"

Lanna hit the ground and rolled to avoid being hit, "Keep going! We've only got eight minutes!"

"Easy for you to say!" Matt grunted as he was caught off-guard.

"Tablet should be on the pedestal in the third room!" Maddie fired back.

"Go!"

Sam wandered round the side of the warehouse, once again checking her watch, "Six minutes."

"They'll make it," Jack assured her.

"If Tiari doesn't kill Albers first."

"Shit…" Maddie uttered, staring at the lit pedestal.

"What?" Lanna demanded.

"Its rigged to C4…"

"They wouldn't use real C4," Matt countered, checking the walkways above them for any sign of trouble.

"Or would they? Teach us a freakin' lesson," Tom cursed under his breath.

Lanna stepped forward, gazing at the tablet, "…So what…we touch it and it goes off…?"

"I guess so…" Matt shrugged.

"Options?" Tiari questioned.

"Grab it and run?" Maddie quipped.

"Leave it."

"Get it and get out. Those were the orders," Matthew stated.

"Maybe it's got a pressure sensor…"

Lanna reached out and tugged at the tablet, only to have a column above it start to descend. She hastily drew her hand back, and the column stopped, "…That'd be a pressure sensor then…"

Maddie uncovered her watch, "We've got four minutes to get out of here."

"Make a decision!" Albers shouted.

"What if its real? You want to blow us all to hell?" Lanna yelled.

"Calm the hell down, both of you!" Matt intervened, "Cant we just put a brick on it or something?"

"Do you see any bricks around here?" Maddie barked, sarcastically, "Four thirty."

"For the love of-" the Colonel started, only to be silenced incoming fire.

Matthew wasn't fast enough, taking a shot in the back, falling to the floor in an ungraceful heap.

"Make a decision!" Albers repeated.

"I-" Lanna started, about to react.

"What is it with you?"

"Hey, man down here!" Maddie reminded them, ducking for cover.

"Take the tablet and-" Tiari managed to say, before being interrupted again.

"Thank you, _Major_!" he cursed again, grabbed the tablet and started to run, "Move it!"

Maddie stared at the descending column, knowing it would set off the C4 when it met with the other surface, "Come on, Matt, shift it," she muttered, arm around his waist, helping him up.

Lanna supported the Major's other side, trying to force the three of them into a run, firing with her free arm, "Shit, let's go!"

* * *

"One minute…" Sam didn't sound so hopeful, "…This can be done in eight minutes…"

"Can be done. Doesn't mean they have to," Jack chided.

"Sorry," she answered.

_"Colonel Carter?"_ a voice came from her radio.

"Yes? Over."

"They should be on their way out now. They just took the tablet and ran."

Sam exhaled, "They didn't deal with the sensor?"

"No, Ma'am. Ring of fire is evident round the column. But at that distance, they should have been safe…"

"'Should have been'…" she shook her head, "Thank you," she shut off the radio, silently cursing. Sam looked up just in time to see the team escape the warehouse, with twenty seconds to spare.

Albers was out of breath, swearing loudly, not seeming to care that everybody could hear him, and clutching the tablet of rock.

Tiari was biting down on her lip; nobody was sure whether it was to prevent her from letting rip a string of abuse at Albers, whom she was glaring at, or simply fear of failure.

Lleweylln was sitting on the floor, grimacing and trying to physically _see_ if any damage had been done to his back.

Hawthorn just looked ready to kill whoever spoke next.

Jack lowered his voice, "…They look pissed."

All six officers flinched in some form as an explosion was set off in the room behind them.

Sam sighed for the umpteenth time that day.

"You set off the final trap."


	3. How to pretend you're fine and dont need...

"Major Tiari." 

"Yes, Ma'am?" Lanna wearily answered.

"You got your team out," Sam nodded, "Well done. Though I presume Lleweylln was hit?" she frowned down at the man on the floor, who promptly scrambled to his feet.

"Yes, Ma'am," she answered for him.

"However, you did not deal with the sensor in the third room. The C4 was not real; we have no intention of killing you in a training scenario. Plus, you set off the trap in the final room," Sam elaborated.

Maddie winced, "…That was me, Ma'am, I tripped the wire, I thought I'd missed it," she admitted.

"Regardless of who did it, if it had been real there was a high likely-hood of one of you being hurt. What would you have done then? Left them behind?"

"No, Ma'am," Tiari answered almost instantly.

About to launch further into her lecture, an SF approached Sam and handed over what looked like a tape-dictator of some sort, "Thank you," she stated, hitting rewind, then play in quick succession.

Maddie and Matt frowned as they heard the voices of their team come from the small device.

"Make a decision!"

"I-"

"What is it with you?"

"Hey, man down here!"

"Take the tablet and-"

"Thank you, Major

Sam hit stop and looked back up at them, at Lanna, "What did you do wrong, Major?"

Tiari swept back a strand of hair that had escaped her braid and stared at the floor, "…I let Colonel Albers pressure me into making a decision…"

"You were recording us?" Matt gaped.

"Of course," Jack entered the conversation, "You think we sent you in there just to see you on the other side?"

He fell silent and started staring at the floor in much the same manner Lanna was.

"You were being watched and recorded," Sam continued, "though audio only, which, by the sound of this, looks like a good thing. You sound like a bunch of squabbling children."

"With all due respect, Ma'am, why keep us to this kid's exercises? You say this is leadership training? This is what you put the cadets through," Albers muttered.

"This is to see how you behave as a unit, Albers, whether you can take orders and work as a team or not. I don't want to rely on your files to know how you're going to react in different situations," she'd had just about enough of him, "and frankly, if you don't like it, leave. Now. You don't want to lead a unit, that's fine by me. If we're clearly wasting your time then by all means, back out," she wondered whether taunting him was the right way to go, if only to make his pride kick in and not his ego.

Tom grit his teeth and looked away, mumbling something under his breath.

"I didn't quite hear that, Colonel."

"…Yes, _Ma'am_."

Over the years, Jack had infuriated her at times, but in the day she'd been in the presence of _this_ man she was already having to suppress the urge to kill.

"You're dismissed," Sam shook her head, "We'll evaluate your performance further back at the base," as they began to walk away, she called out after then, "Major Tiari? Do you have a moment?"

Lanna exchanged a frightened glance with Maddie, who gave her a gentle shove and a smile, heading off with the rest of the team. She retraced the couple of steps she had taken away, "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Don't let him do that to you again," Sam started, "don't let him force you into taking action. Make your own mind up, in your own time."

"But the time was-"

"I know," she smiled reassuringly, "time was running out, and yes, if it were a real situation you would have had to think fast. But you could have done it. Just a couple more seconds. He doesn't know any more than you do, he just thinks he does."

Lanna managed a slight smile, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Report to the briefing room an hour after our return. Dismissed."

The Major gave her a hesitant salute and started to walk away.

"Lanna? You're still in command by the way," Sam informed her.

She grinned and quickened her pace.

"You really don't like that guy, do you?" Jack frowned.

"You guessed?"

"You've got a look that could kill him at ten paces."

"Well, they did it. They got out, together, got the tablet and were apparently far enough away from the C4 if it had been real," Sam ran a hand through her hair.

"And set off the final trap…"

"…That too. But we were out to make them fail, there's so many traps and sensors in those rooms I doubt either one of us could get through there without tripping _something_."

"What're you gonna do about Albers?" he questioned.

"Flatten him," she muttered savagely, "If he's going to lead a team he can't behave like that. He has to learn to accept input. Let's just hope it can be trained out of him, Sir."

"Hope."

* * *

"…I'm sorry, Sam…there's nothing we can do. I've tried everything I can think of…it just wouldn't be right to put her through more surgery…"

"W-What do you mean?"

"…I told you it would be a miracle if she made it this far. She's only just made it through everything we've put her through…we're just being cruel now…you said she's almost always in pain, she can barely breathe…" Janet folded her arms around her best friend, "I'm sorry, Sam, I really am, if I could do anything_, absolutely _anything_ else and I thought it would make a difference…I would…" _

"But…but…the healing device…" Sam sniffed.

"You tried, honey…it didn't help her…she's just too weak…"

"This can't be happening…"

"…Its time to let her go…" Janet whispered, biting back a sob, "…There's no other way, Sam, I wish there was…I wish there was something…"

Sam closed her eyes as her daughter coughed and took a gasp of air, "…Can I take her home?"

She nodded, "…Of course…but…but I don't think she'll see the morning…"

"No…" Jack's voice at the door.

"…I'm sorry, Jack…there's nothing I can do…" tears ran down Janet's face as she looked up at him.

Sam fled into his arms and sobbed as if she'd never stop.

* * *

She woke to darkness, Jack's arm around her, taking a desperate gasp of air so he wouldn't hear her sniff.

"…Again?" he asked softly, shifting so he could look across at her.

Sam shut her eyes and let the tears that had been threatening to escape have their freedom, "…Again…always…" she uttered, voice broken.

Jack drew her against him and held her tightly, trying to soothe her as she tried not to cry, several tears of his own falling onto her hair as they both recalled the pain of remembrance.

* * *

"…I don't like it when they're sad…" the girl whispered, "…and they never show anybody else…"

"I know, child," her companion nodded, "But you shouldn't be here. If they find you here you will be in trouble again, and this time I may not be able to protect you."

She reluctantly agreed and allowed herself to be led away.


	4. I've been waiting my whole life for this...

"We have to go today," Jack repeated, "Or rather, you have to go today."

Sam stared, "…You can't mean-"

"They have to go, this has to be done now, apparently," he grimaced, "according to Tok'ra intel."

"You can't…they can't…" she was having difficulty stringing her sentence together, "You've seen them! They're at each other's throats! They can't! You expect them to function as a unit?" Sam shook her head, "The only two who have managed to get on so far without a cross word are Maddie and Matt. Maddie and Lanna, maybe, but they're sharp with each other at times."

"Who isn't?" he countered.

She was just short of slamming her clenched fists down on his desk, "You send us today and I can pretty safely guarantee that at least one of them won't make it back," she exhaled, belatedly adding the, "Sir."

"We leave it any later and this Goa'uld won't be in a position where we can take her out. She'll be gone; at least now we have her where we have a chance of taking her."

"Alive?"

Jack nodded, not making eye contact.

She shook her head, sinking down into the chair she had vacated, "…Now I know why you weren't going to tell me until we had to go…"

"That was your idea, if you remember correctly, Carter."

Sam glared, clearly having trouble separating work life from that of home, after their grief stricken night, "…Yes, Sir."

"I didn't plan this, Sam, if I had a choice I wouldn't be sending anybody into this. Let alone your bunch. But if they're going to prove themselves, then today's the day."

"They've got to prove themselves by actually surviving, then aiding the capture of a Goa'uld, alive…" she frowned, "…and bring her back here?"

"The Tok'ra say they can placate her," he shrugged somewhat helplessly.

"Since when do you trust the Tok'ra?" she was insulting her father, but she shoved that thought aside.

"Since they told us they could get priceless information from a Goa'uld."

"…But they can't capture her themselves?"

"Apparently not. Resources stretched too thin or something."

"Always an excuse," a curse shortly followed Sam's comment.

"Since when did our roles reverse? I hate the Tok'ra, you defend them, we argue and its done," he tried to tease her.

She looked across at him, wearily, "…Since I got sick of sending people to their deaths…since I got tired of the lies and the fighting…"

Jack reached out to her, across the desk, "One day, Sam. One day," he said softly.

She managed to nod, "…One day."

* * *

"What?" Maddie yelped, making her companions jump.

"You've got an hour to get geared up," Sam continued, as if there had been no interruption, "You have access to all the intel we have, Tok'ra or otherwise."

"The Goa'uld must not be destroyed," Teal'c reminded them, "She must be taken alive." He seemed to dislike the idea as much as Sam did, and, apparently, as much as the four officers before them did.

"Does she have a name?" Lanna questioned.

"Medea," the Jaffa answered.

Matt frowned, "Hang on, wasn't she supposedly a sorceress? Passionate revenge and all that? Killed her sons?"

"Indeed."

"…Sounds like a day at the park…" Maddie mumbled.

"We're not sure if this 'Medea' stays true to the mythology we know. In some versions of events, she killed her sons to punish her 'husband', and ultimately so she, and they, wouldn't be ridiculed," Sam continued, "Working with this, we are led to believe, or are assuming," at least she was honest, "that the children were harsesis and that she didn't want them falling into the wrong hands – her husband, or their superiors."

Albers snorted, "She killed her sons. What makes you think she wont have a problem with destroying everybody and everything in sight?"

"You are judging Medea by human standards," Teal'c countered, "The fact that she destroyed her children may not be as significant. Goa'uld do not see their children as humans do."

"But if they were harsesis-" Lanna began.

"We don't have time to argue over this. We have our orders, you have all the relevant information and the mission plan," Sam sat back down at the head of the table, previously having been pacing in a rather frustrated manner, "Albers."

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"You have command."

Maddie looked as if she might explode there and then. About to state her grievances, she felt a sharp pain in her ankle, glancing sideways at Matt, who'd taken the opportunity to kick her. She glared at him, ready to throttle him just as she would have done Tom.

"Yes, Ma'am," Albers tried, unsuccessfully, to hide the smug grin that had surfaced.

"Hawthorn?"

The Major answered through clenched teeth, believing it to be the only way she wouldn't utter anything she shouldn't, "…Yes, Ma'am…?"

"You're second in command," Sam stated.

Maddie began a string of curses inside her head, "…Yes, Ma'am."

Lanna wondered whether this now gave her the right to beat the crap out of Tom, now that he technically wasn't her subordinate…crap. Now he was her CO instead. She'd probably get a worse reprimand for that… yet it'd be worth it, she thought savagely.

"I know we haven't had a lot of time to prepare, let alone to get into your training properly, but you've already proved yourselves in the field. You can do this. I expect each of you to make it back, understand?" Sam, "There are another three units headed out with us. If I hear reports from any of them concerning bad conduct…"

"There wont be, Ma'am," Albers replied.

Maddie continued her silent fuming…

The Colonel stood, "Right then. You know what you have to do. I expect you to be in the 'Gate room in one hour, understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am," they answered as one.

"Dismissed," Sam watched them file out of the room, trying to hide her despair. She glanced over at Teal'c, still seated, "…You think they can do it?"

He frowned, "They do not seem a harmonious group."

"No…" she sighed, "They don't."

* * *

"How'd they take it?" Jack asked, ten minutes later, having discovered Sam sitting in his office, perfectly silently, staring into space.

"Remember how I took it. Then just tone it down to facial expression," she snapped.

"Easy, Sam," he chided.

"I'm sorry," she answered immediately, "I'm just stressed. Now this."

"I'm sorry," he echoed, "If there was any other way…but this is an opportunity we can't afford to miss."

"…I know," Sam nodded. She shook herself, trying to rid herself of the feeling of dread that had started to take hold, "Right, General. I want to know everything you know."

Jack threw a file across the desk at her, "Yes, Ma'am," he nodded.

She opened the file and rolled her eyes, hoping he wouldn't notice, "…So much for going in blind."

"Sam?"

"Hmmm?" she was already busy reading.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?" she answered, absently.

"_Carter?"_

She did snap back to attention at that, "Sir?" she asked. Catching the expression on his face, she corrected herself, "Jack…?"

"You get yourself back here safe, understand?" Jack said, quietly, eyes betraying his concern.

She inclined her head slightly, "…Why do I get the feeling you think we're not coming back?"

"Most men don't send their wives on life threatening missions."

Sam closed the file, briefly, "We knew what we were getting ourselves into."

"Would you change it?" he proposed.

Her answer didn't require thought.

"Not for the world."

…Only one doubt crept into her mind, _"I'd make sure she lived…"_


	5. How to feel worthless unless you're serv...

The instant Sam stepped through the 'Gate to the other side she was suspicious. Nobody guarding the 'Gate. Nobody. No Jaffa, no underlings…just…nothing. That was a rookie mistake…Goa'uld with a reputation such as the one they were dealing with didn't make such stupid mistakes…

"Woah…" Maddie uttered, "…This is too easy…"

"Easier the better, I say," Tom commented, "If you intend to get home alive."

"…Maybe they gave us the wrong address…" Lanna offered.

"Or maybe they were wrong altogether," Sam answered. She took several steps forward, "Stay where you are, stay alert," she ordered the four teams, continuing to walk away. The 'Gate appeared to be in a depression of earth, surrounded by a continuos hill, as if it had been hit with an energy blast. Maybe they'd dug it out and couldn't be bothered to attempt levelling the earth off… Sam made her way up the side of the mound of earth, dropping to the ground as she reached the top. It didn't take her long to locate the enemy. And the problem. Shit.

"…We shouldn't have let her go alone…" Matt muttered, "Safety in numbers."

"She can take care of herself," Tom countered.

"Did I hear you actually supporting the fact that a woman is capable?" Lanna snorted, "Must be the air here, Albers, or else I'm hearing things."

"Remember who your CO is, Tiari," he spat.

"With no due respect, shut up, _Sir_," Maddie quashed the urge to stamp on his foot.

Meanwhile, Sam had returned, "We need to get out of here."

"Off planet?" a member of another team questioned.

"No, we're here to do what we came to do. But we need to get out of this depression around the 'Gate; the Jaffa are just over the rim, down the other side. If they find us now they could just surround us."

"That's why the didn't post them around the 'Gate itself…" Lanna trailed off.

"Major?" Sam questioned.

"Its ultimately easier for them to corner and capture anybody this way, rather than get involved in combat as anybody comes through," she elaborated, staring at the floor as she finished.

"True," the Colonel agreed, with a nod. She raised her voice, "Alright, Medea's compound is two clicks north of here, according to the Tok'ra intel. No shielding, minimal security-"

"Isn't that rather suspect, Ma'am?" Albers interrupted.

Sam sighed, "Yes, Albers. But the Jaffa are posted around the compound, and not so many guarding or within it. So we have to get past them first, understood?"

"Perfectly."

"We have to get as far away from this position as we can before they see us, so they can't drive us back," she continued, "The Goa'uld is to be taken alive. However, this does not mean I expect you to lay down your lives just so that she lives. Use your judgement. SG-5, 7, you're with me, Alber's, your team head for the tree-line, we're going to need an ambush before we go in. SG-9, head out five minutes after us, understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"…Move out," Sam started off ahead of them, trying to convince herself she wasn't sending them to their deaths.

"The tree-line! The freakin' tree-line!" Albers cursed as he led his team away.

"Why don't you just wave a flag and yell, 'we're here!'" Maddie hissed.

"The tree-line!" he repeated.

"Be thankful she trusts us with anything, the way we behave," Matt muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the Colonel demanded.

The Major sighed, "You just demonstrated, _Sir_," he snapped.

"Look, this way we can take them out and they won't know where the shots are coming from. The forest runs all the way along to the compound," Lanna tried to get them back on topic, "If we can clear a path, then they can get through more quickly."

"Thrilling," Albers mumbled.

"Fine, yell a battle cry and get yourself killed. Its probably what you do best," she replied irritably.

"Er…guys…" Maddie halted mid-stride

The Colonel stopped beside her, staring in the direction she was, "Oh shit."

"So much for a quiet ambush…" she checked her P-90 over, "…They would be Jaffa…"

"Who've just seen us. I hereby take back anything that could have been seen as insulting."

"What are you on?" Lanna's eyes widened as a staff blast shot toward them, dropping to the ground with the rest of her team.

"Turns out you're just a coward after all?" Maddie shouted.

"No," Tom answered, "Stay down," he snapped as he started to return fire to take out the leading figure, "I'd just like to die with a clear conscience."

Matt swore and began firing.

"It's going to take a lot more than 'sorry'!" Lanna informed him.

Albers raised an eyebrow, "I never said I was 'sorry'."

Twenty minutes later, having just made it through the first group of Jaffa, Sam was already running ahead of the rest of the teams trying to catch a glimpse of the main compound. She stopped as a patch of gold caught her eye. Evidently the Goa'uld still didn't do camouflage well. She knew she was stupid for leaving the main group, particularly as she was their CO, but she had almost no information to go on from that point on. She needed to know what to do next, not send them in blind.

"Albers," she spoke into her radio.

"Colonel?" the reply was delayed and she could hear shots being fired in the background, "We're taking enemy fire," he stated.

Sam grit her teeth. Shit. "I'm sending SG-7 to your position as back-up."

"The help is appreciated, Ma'am," he answered.

Had he finally learnt to be polite?

"If and when you make it to the compound, your team is to split up and take command of the other SG Teams," she informed him, "They won't argue, they already know."

"Ma'am?"

"I said this was leadership training, Albers," the rest of the teams had caught up with her, "Wouldn't be any good if I didn't let you lead." Sam motioned to the tree-line, addressing the CO of SG-7, "Enemy fire, take care, if they're in there then they could be anywhere."

She nodded as her team followed her, weapons raised.

"That's the compound," she gestured to the golden building in the distance, "No active shielding. Fire if and when we encounter the enemy. I'll take out the main door," she started to move, "Let's go!"

"Crap!" Matt swore as he misjudged the level of the earth, unable to see the hole his left ankle fell into, his weight falling onto it and wrenching the muscle, "Shit!"

"There's always one," Lanna teased, running forward to help him, in the same instant the leader of SG-7 took out the final Jaffa.

"Where's Colonel Carter?" Maddie questioned.

"Heading for the main compound."

"…On her own?"

"No, all remaining SG Teams. Ourselves included," the Colonel explained.

"We better get going," Matt hissed as he put weight on his ankle, "Am I the only one who's noticed; but she's more than ready to die for us."

Two Jaffa.

'Suspect' as Albers would have said.

Sam signalled for the other officers to remain where they were as she removed a small amount of C4 from her vest. Now she was here, the amount didn't seem enough to take out the door. Slamming it onto the wall beside it, she added the fuse, backing away to a safe distance and hitting the remote. She only just missed being caught in the explosion. Hearing a cry, at the same instant, Sam whirled round to see Jaffa pouring from the sides of the compound. Raising her P-90 to return fire, an all too familiar frozen sensation overcame her limbs and she fell to the floor, numb.

Medea stood over her, zat in her hand, red robes sweeping over the floor. She looked down at the fallen Colonel, "…I did not think they would send humans…" she uttered aloud. She signalled for the single Jaffa behind her to pick up the body.

Just clinging to consciousness, Sam blacked out. She'd failed. Failed them.

'…Tinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…'


	6. How to keep smiling when you're thinking...

_"Up above the clouds so high, like a diamond in the sky…"_

Sam mumbled something and stirred in her sleep, ignoring whoever, or whatever, was calling to her, trying to shrug away its familiar touch.

"Tinkle, twinkle little star…"

A young child's laughter echoed through her mind.

"Come on, Mama, wake up," somebody touched her shoulder.

Sam's eyes shot open and she instinctively scrambled to the back of the small cell she discovered she was in. Somebody was calling her 'Mama'. Nobody called her that. Had ever called her that. Her child was dead…gone. She had just led the men and women under her command into an ambush…and she had been the first to fall! She was supposed to be teaching _them_!

"…You don't look so good…"

She finally took in the appearance of who was harassing her. A young girl, dark blonde curls falling down her back, wearing a simple white dress, blue eyes sparkling mischievously. The pain in her head increased as she propped herself up against the wall, "…Who are you…?"

The girl smiled, "You know who I am."

"No, I don't," Sam stopped as a sudden feeling of deja vu swept over her, "…Wait…"

"Yes…?" she knelt down and settled herself on the floor, absently fiddling with the hem of her dress.

…But that hadn't been real…had it? She had never…none of them had been there…all in her mind…right?

"You're…" she uttered.

"I'm Grace," the girl nodded and smiled, "You remember," she seemed more pleased by the fact that her new companion remembered her, yet not her name.

Sam exhaled, "You're not real."

"I am!" she protested.

"I've got a concussion and I'm hallucinating…again…" the Colonel started to mutter to herself, "But hey, twice in three years isn't bad going for somebody in my line of work…"

"Mama!"

Sam glared, "Don't you dare call me that," she practically hissed.

Grace recoiled, "…Why not…?" she asked, appearing hurt.

"I lost my daughter!" she snapped, "She never got to call me that!"

The child seemed to consider this, "…So you never want to be anybody's mother?"

"…That's not what I said…" Sam sighed, "I don't believe this…I'm talking to a figment…again…"

"I'm here, Mama," Grace simply stated.

"I already said-"

"No. You don't understand. _I'm here_, Mama," she repeated.

Sam frowned, "…Okay. So you're real. Who or what are you?"

Grace was rather frustrated, "I'm me."

"And _you_ are?" she prompted.

She considered standing, instead opting to kneel so she could look up at the woman before her, "I'm your little girl."

Sam stared at her blankly for several seconds, mind reeling, until the reference finally hit her, "…No…you cant…" she shook her head, eyes wide, "…you can't…you're not…its impossible…you…"

"In all you have seen in your life, you say this is impossible?" the girl tilted her head and regarded her with a serious expression.

She was shaking her head, eyes shut, "Stop it. I don't care what you are, who you are, even if this is just in my head…just stop…" anything but this. Please. Anything. Physical pain, torture, anything, just not this.

"Mama…"

"…You _can't_ be! My baby was…a baby, two weeks old!" she protested, for lack of a better explanation.

"We grow at the rate we learn. How fast our minds mature and are able to grasp different concepts…" Grace looked away, guiltily, "…How fast we learn to let go…" she paused in thought, searching for the correct term, "…They called me a…a…'blank slate'?"

The hit on the head from when she hit the floor was starting to affect her thinking. If it was her…she desperately wanted it to be her child, if only in her mind. Sam frowned, "…But…how are you…" another thought, "…We never named you 'Grace'."

She smiled, "I know. But the others said that your belief in what you were doing, trying to protect your planet and others, the faith you had in each other, that was your, and my, saving grace. So it became my name."

"…But…but…" it just made no sense, and that wasn't the concussion talking, "…We buried you, her…our daughter…"

Grace nodded, "I know. She left you with a shell, as she believed it was what you would need to be able to move on."

"She?"

"My protector."

"Protector?" Sam wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.

She thought for a moment, glancing away, "…They say I cause trouble…" she whispered.

"…How…?"

"…Being here, being with you back then…keeping watch. …I meddled with time and I should have been punished. They tried to."

Sam held up a hand to halt any further explanations, "…Wait a minute. Let me sort this out. You're-"

"Grace."

"My-"

"Daughter."

"And you-"

"Ascended, yes," Grace finished for her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"…And you played with time…"

She nodded, again, "The Others can do much more. Except they wont. She always said I had an affinity for time," the girl sighed, "its about the only thing I can do. That, and this. She just didn't expect me to play. I was very young then. But I could hear your pain…and I wanted…I wanted to help you…"

Sam contemplated reaching out to touch her, "…Who is 'She'?"

"She helped Daniel, Skaara and his people…many, many others…and me."

"…Oma?"

Grace smiled, "Yes. She is my protector…" her face became clouded, "…and she will be in trouble again because of me…because I am here." She took several steps away and looked back over her shoulder at Sam.

"You're really my…"

"I promise I am real. This is not a trick. I wanted…I wanted you to know I wasn't really gone…and that-" her whole form began to glow, blue eyes suddenly wide with panic.

"Grace?" Sam reached out to her, unable to make contact, "Grace?" she raised her voice.

The child extended her arms toward her 'mother' and tried to run to her, only to be held back, slamming into some invisible force, "They've found me!"

"Grace!"

She stopped struggling and shut her eyes, head lowered, "…She can do nothing. I have gone too far. I must accept my punishment."

"…What are they…no, they can't, stay, don't let them-"

Grace's form began to fade, "It shall be done," she opened her eyes, a flicker of a frightened smile passing across her features, "…Goodbye, Mama."

"No!" Sam lunged for the child's form and fell straight through, finding herself alone in the empty cell. Curling into a ball, she began to sob, tormented by her own mind, and where the line between dreams and reality lay.


	7. How to stay paralyzed by fear of abandon...

Whilst one of the SG teams remained posted at the perimeter of the forest, the others all appeared to be engaged in an argument inside. They had agreed, as they had been forewarned, to take orders from the team in training. Except…it wasn't going so well. Maddie and Matt declared that they wanted their teams to go in and find Sam, whilst Tom wanted to wait until night fall, and Lanna was getting more and more pissed off by the second. So she decided to show it. Raising her voice above the chatter and 'conversation', she started to shout, "Alright! Just stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, _stop it!_" she stamped her feet at the same time, making herself appear as if she were quite mad, waving her arms too. 

Albers rewarded her with a look that clearly said she needed to be behind bars, "…Tiari?"

"Would it kill you to use her first name?" Maddie shouted across.

"SHUT UP!" Lanna yelled, having to stop at the sudden pain in her throat. She coughed when silence greeted her, "Thank you."

"Well?" Matt prompted.

"We're all still alive, none of us got hit, only two Jaffa got shot, and the rest retreated. Doesn't this seem a little strange to you?" she questioned.

"…And nobody's found us here when it's the obvious hiding place…" Maddie trailed off, "…Yeah."

"If this Medea is supposed to be so nefarious," Lanna continued, "that's 'evil' for you, Albers," she added, "Why hasn't she sent out Jaffa to slaughter every last one of us? Or come and killed us herself?"

"Why is Colonel Carter the only one missing then, Tiari?" Tom countered.

She blinked, "…I don't know."

"She got caught in the explosion and I saw a figure in red standing over her," one of the officers offered.

"…Wait, wait, wait," Matt frowned, "There's a great gaping hole where the door used to be and we haven't tried going in yet? And nobody has been posted to guard it? What is this? That Goa'uld might as well start waving a white flag, or just shoot herself."

Lanna exhaled, "…I say half of us go, half of us stay. Constant radio contact," she untied her blonde hair and quickly began braiding it again.

"It's a plan," Maddie agreed, showing no enthusiasm for going or staying.

"It's a trap," Tom insisted, looking back at his new team for backup, "Right?"

They neither agreed nor disagreed.

"And they call this leadership," he muttered, "Alright, Tiari, let's do this your way."

"I'll go," Maddie offered, "Right, guys?" her team reacted with an affirmative answer.

"And so will we," the Colonel declared, "To make sure you don't screw up."

"If you don't shut up, one of these days I'm going to ram my boot so far up your-"

"ALRIGHT!" Lanna shouted, "We get it!"

Matt was in contact with his team via radio, requesting they return from the perimeter.

"Ten minutes. Then we go," Albers concluded, "and we find out what's really going on around here."

* * *

"You cannot control this child!"

"She is young, she will learn," her protector insisted, "she has had no former education to guide her. We are all she knows."

"She is not one of us."

"Originally, no."

"Have you never realised it is the ones that you 'help' that cause the most trouble?" the voice questioned.

"As you will do nothing, it is my only option," 'Oma' replied, calmly.

"You cannot protect her this time. She must learn as the others did."

The one known as 'Grace' cowered behind her friend. She feared the Others. They had no heart, only unshakeable ideas of what was 'right' and what was 'wrong'.

"If I might speak on her behalf?" suddenly, the voice of 'Skarra' was heard.

"…And another one of yours," the Speaker commented, "You may speak."

"She is O'Neill's daughter. I consider her a sister. If it were not for him, I would have been dead long ago. The Goa'uld would rule this galaxy. O'Neill and his team have defended many and have expected nothing in return. He, nor his wife, expected such events to take place, for their daughter to be taken, or for her to join us. It is true she is a gifted child, and has grasped the concept of what it is to be one of us well, but she is very, very young. She thinks with her heart, and I believe that should be rewarded, not punished. If I had the courage to help those I loved, to help Major Carter, then I would have done so. She only aided the one who gave her life."

We_ gave her life!" _

"We gave her Rebirth," 'Oma' insisted, "We kept her spirit and her code alive."

"And we should overlook disobedience?" the Speaker clearly wanted a good answer.

"She is a child. Human children play with toys. Time, energy, matter, these were her toys."

"She shall be punished," the decision was final.

"But-"

"You were able to protect her before, Oma, but not again. She is a child as you say, and must learn,_" the Speaker turned 'his' attention to the young 'Grace', "What do you have to say for yourself?" _

'Grace' took several seconds to compose herself, to keep her fear under control, before she addressed him, boldly, "My mother was in pain. The fact that I did not live hurt her. The least I could do was ease her pain, now, or then."

"You know_ we do not permit the timeline to be altered! If it were possible, do you not think we would have tried to save ourselves _then?"

"No changes occurred," 'Grace' replied, "It would appear that I was destined to do as I did."

"And you do not regret your actions?"

"No, Sir."

"You accept your punishment?"

"Yes, Sir."

The Speaker finally softened 'his' voice, "…Then you are more one of us today than ever you were," he commented, "You must be commended for your bravery. But we cannot be lenient."

"Sir-" 'Skarra' tried to interject, as 'Oma' did.

"Do not do this!" 'she' begged.

'Grace' shut herself off from the 'world', completely relaxed, resigned to her fate.

The Speaker uttered three words as she vanished, "It is done."

* * *

Somebody was shaking her, had her by the shoulders.

"Wake up!"

It was not a voice she knew.

Sam kept her eyes shut and tried to keep her mind in its formerly sleepy state, if only to stop herself hallucinating about the little girl again. Her little girl…

"Colonel Carter!"

Who the hell was addressing her by rank?

Sam opened her eyes to slits to find herself peering into the eyes of the eyes of the one who had shot her. Then she realised who it was; no wonder she had the nagging feeling in the back of her mind. She opened her eyes fully to discover it was who she had suspected; Medea.

"So you are awake now," the dark haired 'woman' stated.

Why wasn't her voice like the other Goa'uld?

"…Yeah…I'm awake. Is the torture now or later?" she quipped, realising spending so much time with, and marrying, Jack O'Neill, had had an adverse affect on her.

"The torture will not be happening," Medea insisted, kneeling and sweeping the skirt of her red dress away so she wasn't creasing it, "You are the ones sent by the Tok'ra?" she questioned.

Now it all made so much more sense.

And damnit.

They'd been duped again.

"…Yeah…Tok'ra…intel," she wasn't having much luck stringing a coherent sentence together, "retrieve Medea…alive. Why haven't you killed me?" the question sounded stupid even in her head.

"I have no intention of killing you, Samantha Carter. I need you to take me with you. I am posing as a Goa'uld to retrieve technology. I must be quick, my Jaffa will soon wonder about my absence. Will you take me with you when your comrades attempt to rescue you?" she hissed.

"…_If _they attempt to rescue me…" Sam mumbled.

"I have made it easy for them," Medea smiled slightly.

That expression was just wrong for a Goa'uld. If she was one…

Sam looked up at her 'captor', "…So this means you're a…"

"Yes," her eyes pulsed brightly and her voice dropped into the familiar tone, "I am Tok'ra."

The lying bastards.


	8. How to stay stuck in blue by blaming the...

"I cant believe I let you talk me into this…" Albers muttered under his breath, staring straight ahead of him, the flashlight on the weapon he held revealing a clear path ahead, as the two teams made their way through the strangely silent halls of the main complex.

"Think about it, Albers, you get to act all manly," Maddie replied, several paces behind him, "If I scream and fall down, will you save me?" she asked, with barely suppressed sarcasm.

"No, I'll leave you there to get trodden on," he answered, "you'd make an attractive rug."

She paused, "I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."

"Either way."

"I'll do you a deal, you shut up and we get through this and we can trade insults later, okay?"

"…Tempting offer, Hawthorn," Albers tried not to grin.

"You really _do_ do that just to piss everyone off, don't you?" Maddie was about to wave the two members of her team pacing by her side forward, when the Colonel raised a hand and stopped dead. Too late. The flashlight and their bickering had alerted the Jaffa posted at the second main door within the complex. A shot fired in their direction made them both jump straight back to whatever military mode they possessed.

"Get down!" the Major yelled as she, and the others with her, hit the floor. Professionalism only lasted for a moment, for as soon as she could see Albers again, she was cursing him, "Good going, lookout!"

"Shove it, Maddie!" he shouted, returning fire.

"I think that's the first time you've used my name!" she retorted, on her knees, keeping close to the wall as she gestured for her team to fire at the Jaffa, who seemed suddenly intent on destroying them there and then.

"…I knew it was too easy…" Tom muttered.

* * *

She was cold. Cold and alone. Unfamiliar territory. They had obviously truly meant she was going to be punished. She felt true fear for the first time her in her short life. She had always held such power that she knew she could defend herself, emotionally and physically…she tried to access that power again, if only to reassure herself. She met with nothing. The being known as 'Grace' shivered and tried to reach out for a comforting touch or word from somebody, anybody, that she knew. Nothing. Pain. Fear. What scared her most was that she could feel_…and it was strangely familiar._

* * *

"…You're a Tok'ra posing as an all powerful Goa'uld, with all these Jaffa worshipping you and perfectly willing to die for you…and you felt the need to zat me, throw me in a cell, and _now_ you want my help?" Sam felt decidedly cranky, her emotions still not in check and the headache not helping the situation. She knew, in the end, she would have to help this supposed Tok'ra, it was her job after all, what they had been sent to do, but it didn't mean she had to like it.

"I am sorry, but I had no choice. Return me to the Tok'ra," Medea demanded.

Evidently another one who needed to examine their attitude.

Sam managed to get to her knees, "No offence…" she started, "But any chance I could just speak to your host?"

"You will return me to the Tokra?" she repeated.

"Yes, I'll return you to the damned Tok'ra!" she was quickly losing patience, "…Look, you do your part, I'll do mine, we'll get back to Earth, but I can't do anything whilst I'm in this cell."

Medea's eyes flashed and her voice returned to 'normal', "…I did not meant to harm you, but I have to act as if-"

"You're a Goa'uld," Sam nodded in understand, "Alright," she sighed and paused in thought, "…Okay…get us as close the outside as you can, I'll see what I can do from there…just drag me as your prisoner…they wont suspect you wanting to torture me, right?"

"…I do not believe so. But what of your comrades?"

"…Are they inside the building?"

"…I believe so…their life-signs were tracked in some of the outer halls…"

Sam struggled to her feet, "…Then we'll meet them halfway…" she cursed as the pain in her head hit her full force.

"You are in pain…" the young 'woman' stated.

"…I'll live…" she mumbled, "…Now…Medea? Any chance of an appearance?"

* * *

This was going to be an interesting escape.

If they made it that far.

If she was honest, she had left herself open to that shot, so it was her own fault.

But it was just so much easier to blame him.

"You bastard!" Maddie hissed through clenched teeth, trying to apply pressure to the wound on her thigh to stop the bleeding, "You absolute bastard!" to be fair, the blast had only grazed her, not hit her full on, but it didn't mean it hadn't done its job and damaged her leg.

"Move it!" Albers shouted, several metres ahead.

She gaped at him, "Some leader you're going to make!"

He hadn't even noticed she'd been hit. He noticed when one of his team had nearly twisted their ankle on a root in the forest, he noticed when one of them had cracked their jaw when they threw themselves on the floor, but did he notice when she was sitting there bleeding?

Obviously not!

"Sir, man down!" somebody alerted him to her situation before she got to throw more insults at him.

Only then did he look back, and, as the last Jaffa hit the floor, return to her position. Tom appeared to be an unfortunate shade of white, made all the more apparent with his dark hair as a stark contrast.

Maddie glared up at him, her own blood smeared across her face, still trying to stop the bleeding, "Don't tell me after all that proud talk you're just a wimp after all."

"Shut up, Maddie," he answered, all former traces of anger and sarcasm gone, "just shut up. Skiare, bind her leg, quickly, we need to keep moving."

She stared, "…You don't have an insult for me? I don't consider that a fair trade," she quipped, in a softer tone of voice.

"I owe you then," the Colonel nodded, "You okay to keep going?"

"Gaping hole in my leg…blood pouring out…" Maddie clung to her sarcasm, "…I'd say so."

"Then-"

"Sir!" somebody shouted.

Medea stepped over one of her fallen Jaffa, angered when several weapons were raised in greeting to her appearance. She instinctively raised the hand device in her right palm, and was somewhat shocked to be instantly struck with a zat blast. She crumpled to the floor, falling before she got a chance to protest.

"…That was easy…" somebody uttered.

"Who…what the…I don't believe this!" a familiar voice was at the same door.

"Colonel!" Tom gaped.

"Who else?" Sam replied, irritably. She sighed, "…Congratulations to whoever bagged the _Tok'ra_."

"Tok'ra?" Maddie swore again.

"Owen, Black, help Medea," she ordered, "We've got to get out of here. Ask questions later, all you need to know; she's a Tok'ra, we were lied to again, let's get moving!" Sam shot a concerned glance in Maddie's direction, "You okay to move, Hawthorn?"

"I don't intend to just sit here, Sir," Maddie nodded, "I'll be fine."

"Right. Let's shift it before anybody else noticed their 'God' has defected." Sam shook her head, caught the P-90 as it was thrown to her, and ordered everybody ahead of her.

* * *

"You did not think I would abandon you completely?"

'Grace' tried to communicate in the way she been able before, but met with a blankness again. She was cold, currently her main concern. She tried again, and would have cried out in frustration had she thought she had the strength to. About to give up, she gasped when she found herself in an unfamiliar 'room' with a shimmering pool of light in.

"W-What is this…?" she found herself able to speak, "Where am I?"

"It does not matter," 'Oma' sat on the end of what appeared to be a ramp…in human form, "What matters is that I am here now and I will wait with you."

'Grace' looked down to find herself in the same white dress she had always appeared in, "…I…I don't understand…why…why do you have to talk to me like this? Can't we go home?"

'Oma' smiled, "You are home, Grace. This is your future. You just don't know it yet."

The child was clearly confused, "…I don't understand…"

"Of course you don't. But you will."

"…I have been punished…"

"Yes, you have"

It was then she realised she wasn't cold anymore.

"Come," 'Oma' patted the space beside her, "Wait with me. It will not be long."

"…Until what?" 'Grace' slowly went forward and sat down on the edge of the ramp.

"Until I must leave you forever."


	9. In eight easy steps

_"…What has happened to me?" 'Grace' asked, transfixed by the shimmering pool, glancing over her shoulder, unable to take her eyes off it. _

"You have been punished," 'Oma' reminded her, "as was to be expected."

"…Why…Why can't I sense the Others?" the child asked fearfully. She stood up and took several tentative steps toward the circle.

"Be careful, young one," her guardian warned, "you must learn to curb your curiosity. …You cannot sense the Others because they cannot sense you."

"What do you mean?" 'Grace's' voice was light, as if she was in a trance.

"I do not know what they have left you with. I was sure they had cleansed you completely…but I fear there are still aspects of us in your form. Your Domain was time. Be careful not to think about it so much from now on-"

"What do you mean?" the girl whirled round, "Why do you speak to me in riddles? Time. An affinity for Time, that's what they always said. I could do little more." She raced down the metal ramp and stared down at her seated companion, "Why am I cold? Why can I feel? Why can I only speak to you and not sense you? Why must you leave me forever?" 'Grace' held her hands together and drew them slowly apart as if she would strike her friend, only to cry out in frustration as no energy formed between her palms. Turning a desperate expression to 'Oma', she pleaded for answers.

'Oma' shut her eyes and the girl collapsed in her arms, unconscious. She stood, gathering her charge into her arms, "…They're going to have a rather difficult time with you, aren't they, little one?" she whispered softly, as the scene, and both their 'forms' vanished.

* * *

About to swipe one of the many files from his desk, Jack halted as he felt a chill run up his spine. He tried to shrug it off, worrying only when his vision darkened and he seemed to reappear in the 'Gate room.

"General O'Neill."

He turned to see a vaguely familiar figure standing at the foot of the 'Gate ramp, and what appeared to be a young girl's form slumped behind her, curled up on the floor, blonde curls fallen over her face.

"…Wait…I know this…" he held up a hand, "…Oma? Right?"

She nodded, "You are correct."

"…I'm not dead…as far as I know…I don't seem to need spiritual guidance…" Jack frowned, "…What's Daniel done this time?"

"Daniel Jackson has done nothing, this does not concern him."

"…Oh," he was rather worried that the girl didn't seem to be moving.

'Oma' looked down at the blonde haired child, "…Take care of her…" she uttered softly.

"What? Who?"

"You will know. You will know the moment you set eyes on her," the Ancient smiled softly, "She has wonderful soul. Take care of her for me. She will be where she belongs."

"Wait, what-"

And he was back in his office, the file he had grasped falling from his grip. Jack shivered involuntarily, swearing as he saw papers flutter everywhere. Ignoring them, he swiftly left his office.

* * *

She was jumpy and nervous by the time they laid eyes on the 'Gate, glancing all around them, wondering why they hadn't been attacked when they were clearly carting off the local deity. About to order Lanna to dial home, several of the other officers still sliding down the banks that led down to the 'Gate, Sam cried out and had to shield her eyes as a white light suddenly blazed in the centre of the circle. "Get down!" she yelled, fearing the 'Gate was activating. She dropped to the ground, as did those around her, remaining perfectly still, until the silence made her more nervous. Sam looked up to see a figure bathed in white standing just before the circle, the form of a small, curly haired, young girl at her feet. The girl appeared to be human. She lay on her front, face hidden by her hair, shivering in the cold, her lack of clothes suddenly apparent.

"Samantha Carter."

Sam frowned and managed to get to her feet, "…Yes."

Oma regarded her with a cool gaze, "I return to you what is most dear. She has been punished for her actions."

"…What…?" she couldn't quite comprehend what was happening, only knew that she wanted to at least wrap a blanket around the shivering child on the cold earth.

"She is your daughter, is she not?"

Sam took a step backward, shaking her head, "…Don't…don't do this to me…" aware that all eyes were on her, she still couldn't help herself, "…Please…don't…"

"The one named Grace is your child. Her punishment was to return to her original form. I swear to you that the girl you see is the child you lost."

The Colonel shook her head in denial, "I lost my baby. She can't be mine."

"Do whatever tests you wish on her, the child is yours. We could not return her to her original state after all she had learnt and become." Oma replied, "Genetically, emotionally, she is yours. Her memories of her time with us will fade, with a great deal of time. I have returned her to her home, to those she belongs with. I can do no more."

Shaking, Sam tried to regain control of herself, breaking free of her rigid stance as the light of Oma vanished and she ran to the girl on the floor, kneeling beside her, sweeping the blonde curls away from her face.

Frightened, weary, blue eyes opened to look up at her, "…Mama…" she managed to whisper, before her eyes fell shut again.

That was all the proof she needed.

Stranger things had happened in her life.

She didn't need to do tests to prove it.

The girl before her was hers.

She knew it in her heart.

Nothing could ever prove her wrong.

"Colonel."

It was Tom, holding out a grey blanket from one of their packs, an expression she had never seen before on his face. Pity? Compassion? She wasn't entirely sure. Sam took the material gratefully, gently lifting the small body and wrapping the blanket around her, gathering the girl into her arms, "…Its okay, Grace…its okay…I'm here…" tears fell from her eyes, "…You're mine…and I'm never going to let you go again…"

Maddie shifted her weight from her injured leg, glancing back to check on Medea, then laying a hand on Alber's shoulder, "…You know…we might make a human being of you yet…"

"It is done."

* * *

When his wife appeared in the 'Gate room with a child in her arms, Jack barely remembered to question who the woman in the red dress was, and only mumbled to have her taken to a holding cell, regardless of who she claimed to be. He added orders for debriefings to be held several hours later, watching as the new leaders and officers exited the room, helping the injured, somewhat stunned by their silence.

Sam sank down and sat on the end of the ramp, not ready to release her burden to the waiting medics. She gazed wearily up at Jack, "…She's alive…"

He knelt beside her, the appearance of the girl familiar to him, "…Who…?"

"She's ours. They gave her back. They gave her a second chance…"

Grace stirred in her mother's arms, "…Mama…I…"

"Sssh," Sam whispered, "Its okay…we're here…don't worry…go to sleep…"

He knew.

As she did.

She kissed their child's forehead, "…This is her…this is our daughter…"

"Mi-"

Sam shook her head, with a smile, taking one of his hands in hers.

"Grace."

**Fin**


	10. Epilogue

Notes: Gotta be the longest epilogue I've written in a while. Everybody kinda ran away with me I guess. I'm debating going for a sequel or _something_ with this.

* * *

"Never, ever, _ever_ again!" Jack fumed, close to banging his head against his desk. 

"It would appear that you are correct about the Tok'ra," Teal'c replied.

"Ya think?"

"Indeed."

"Go in, retrieve a 'Goa'uld' alive. Oh, by the way, forget to mention that she's a Tok'ra, one of oldest and wisest, and that she's been waiting for us all along! Yes, please do ask me to send my people into a trap!" he cursed, "Next they'll want us to take down Anubis with a peashooter!"

"…We did not offer Medea great hospitality…" the Jaffa reminded him.

"Yeah, well, she deserved to be bound to that chair for hours. We fed her, what more does she want? Next time they might try telling us the truth and we might be a little more friendly! In fact, next time they can go find somebody else to do their dirty work!"

"They are most untrustworthy," Teal'c agreed, having heard the particular rant occurring many times before. He opted to change the subject, "How is young Grace, O'Neill?"

Jack smiled, his rage almost completely forgotten, "She's doing well, so the Doc says. Normal human being-ness and all that."

"It is a most joyful occurrence."

"Yeah…" the General stood, "You wanna come see her? I'm sure she'd like to get to know another person she's probably been spying on for the past year."

"I will accompany you," Teal'c followed him to the door.

Once in the corridors, Jack threw his hands up with a shout, "Tok'ra! Never again!"

* * *

"What?" Maddie's voice was nearly at shrieking pitch as she stood up, shoving her chair away from the table angrily, "You mean I have to endure more time with that…that…" she glared across the table at Tom, who, for once, did not grin smugly back at her. 

"Yes, you have to endure more time with Colonel Albers," Sam stood up, her tone even, "and you're going to have to deal with it."

The woman glared defiantly at her CO for a moment before sitting down again, arms folded across her chest, full sulk mode engaged, as if she were a child.

Lanna exchanged a concerned look with Matt and gave a slight shrug.

"Major Tiari?" Sam addressed her.

"Ma'am?" she questioned.

"You're to be second in command of your team, with Colonel Albers as your CO."

Maddie's eyes bulged and for a moment it looked as if she would throw a fit there and then. However, she glanced across at Lanna and smiled, knowing that, despite her shy tendencies, her friend was hardly going to give their 'new CO' an easy time.

"…I'm their CO?" Tom uttered, eyes wide.

Matt raised an eyebrow and offered a token grin.

"Yes, Colonel, you're the commanding officer of the newly formed SG-20," Sam nodded. She stared at him for a long moment, as expressions of disgust, possible fear, (at having two women who were out to kill him on his team) worry and finally anticipation cross his features. This time it was he who folded his arms and finally grinned across the table at Maddie. The grin promptly vanished and was replaced with a brief look of pain as it would appear that she had kicked him, "Problem, Hawthorn?" she questioned.

"No, Ma'am…" Maddie hissed.

"Don't worry, Major, I wont push you too hard," Tom taunted.

"And I wont push you down a large hole as soon as we step through the 'Gate!" she retorted.

"Colonel, Major!"

"Maddie, that's enough, there's nothing you can do about it now," Lanna's soft voice interrupted them, "Sir," she addressed Albers, "I don't think your attitude is any help at this moment in time."

He turned a suddenly confused gaze upon his 2IC, "Lanna?"

She blinked, startled that he'd used her first name, "Sir?"

"Good one."

"I thought so."

"As you may or may not have been informed," Sam sat back, "until you learn to work as a team, none of you will be transferred as leaders of other teams." She took in their horrified expressions and regarded them with a cool gaze, "That is both a threat and an order."

A rather disheartened and quiet, "Yes, Ma'am," met her ears in reply.

"Any questions?"

Matt thought for a moment, debating whether or not to ask his question, "Yes, Ma'am…" he hesitated.

"Major?" she tilted her head, expecting an answer.

"…How is your daughter, Ma'am?" he asked, not quite making eye contact with her, wondering whether he was out of line.

Sam dismissed his fears with such a smile as they'd never seen before from her, "She's fine, Matthew, doing well. Thank you for asking."

"That's good to hear Ma'am," Tom's voice was strangely quiet.

Maddie raised an eyebrow as she glanced across at him, curious as to how he could switch from such an arrogant individual to somebody who might actually have human feelings somewhere.

Sam stood up, "Is that all?"

Lanna nodded, "Yes, I think so, Ma'am."

Albers too, followed her lead, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Then you're all dismissed," the Colonel nodded and swiftly left the room, those she left behind all sure of where she was headed.

"Well…" Matt stretched, "Looks like this is it."

"For a good while anyway," Maddie muttered, brown eyes downcast.

"Turn into a good enough officer and we might be together for a shorter time than you think," Tom replied.

"Turn into a good enough CO and they might promote you the hell out of here!"

"Alright! Enough!" Lanna raised her voice, standing, "Can you two just give it a rest for once? Its stupid arguments like this that landed us here in the first place. Can't you two leave each other alone for five minutes?"

When she put it like that, if anybody overheard, they would probably have reason to doubt any 'professional' relationship they had.

Maddie couldn't resist, "Tom, I admit it, I've been in love with you from the moment I set eyes on you!" she feigned a breathless voice, "Don't you return my feelings?" she cast a hand across her forehead and looked away with a mock pained expression.

Staring, mute and unsure how to react, Tom finally laughed, "Maddie, my darling of course I do! Will you marry me?"

"Of course? Here and now? I don't think I could stand the wait!" she finally dissolved into giggles.

Matt frowned, "…Maybe they should've gone into theatre instead of the military…"

Lanna grinned over her shoulder as she started to walk away, "Leave them to it, Matt, its probably the best option…"

He stood and almost ran after her, "I hear you," Matt paused, "…Ma'am…"

"Not yet, Matt," her laughter echoed back to the briefing room where the other half of their team still sat.

"…So…" Maddie crossed her arms, "You think we can get on for long enough?"

Tom nodded, "I guess so…unless you have any more plans to scare people away with impromptu theatre."

She tried a smile, "…Well, you have to admit, she did imply…"

"I'll have to watch out for her."

Maddie stood up and crossed around the table, grimacing for a moment before her expression became serious, "Thanks…for the help…"

"Huh?" he stared.

"When I got hit," she prompted, "don't make me elaborate or I'll think you're enjoying this." When he nodded in recognition, she continued, "And you were great with the Colonel too."

Albers was still staring at her, not quite sure how to react.

The Major turned and began to walk away, halting before she got to the door, "You got a soft spot for little kids?"

Tom was on his feet and almost leapt for the door, "Gods help me, Hawthorn, its going to be hard not to kill you these next few months."

She grinned as she walked away, "Or years…"

* * *

"How is she?" 

"She's doing well. All readings are normal. There's some unusual brain activity, but that's most likely due to active memory waiting for its cue to shut down…" Janet replied.

"What do we do about legal documents?" Sam questioned.

She shrugged, "Do what we did with Cassie. Fake them. We can't use her original birth certificate, as there's also a certificate of death…" her voice had grown progressively quiet as she continued, "…We can create a birth certificate for her recognised by all legal parties. Other information can be faked and her medical records can be buried. If any doctor without clearance ever has to see her, they wont know anything aside from the normal, records of medicine given, symptoms, flu, colds, etc…" Janet smiled, "…I cant believe you got her back, Sam…I can't tell you how hard it was to tell you to let her go…"

Sam hugged her friend, "…I know you did everything you could have ever done…I never blamed you for anything, Janet." She stepped back and looked down at her, "So…how are _you_?"

"Well," she began, "If I ever get past morning sickness I might just live to see my baby."

"Ouch…" Sam winced in sympathy, "I know that feeling…"

"Doctors always are the worst patients," Daniel commented, smiling, perched on the bed behind his wife.

Janet jabbed back with her elbow, "For that, you're sleeping on the couch," she threatened.

Sam laughed, "Can I go see her?"

"Sure. She's been asking for you all morning. Jack's already with her."

"Thanks, Janet."

"Anytime, you know that."

She approached the bed in which her daughter was lying, propped against several pillows, laughing at her father's antics. Jack noticed her presence first, finally a true smile on his face, the likes of which she hadn't seen for months, nor attempted herself.

"Mama!" Grace threw back the covers on her bed and would have hopped down to the floor had her father not touched her arm and held her back, "What did Janet say, Grace?" after only a few days, he still said the name as if were foreign to him.

"…Stay in bed until we're all sure I'm better…" she repeated, as if on cue.

Sam sat down on the edge of her daughter's bed, eyes shining as the girl threw her arms around her.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, Grace," she reached into the pocket of her fatigue's jacket, "I brought you something."

Grace's eyes widened in anticipation, proving that, time spent as an Ancient or not, she was still a little girl at heart, "What is it?"

Sam held out a little bottle and grinned.

Grace giggled and took it, unscrewing the lid and taking out the wand, blowing through it and laughing as bubbles filled the air around her bed, "You remembered!"

"Of course I did," her mother replied, smiling.

Jack pretended to pout, "Can't we all play?"

She took out another bottle, "Here."

He took it, "See, your Mom still thinks I'm a big kid," he whispered to Grace.

"…Its more fun that way…" she whispered back, still giggling.

Sam produced another bottle of bubble mixture with a grin.

"Ah, see, she couldn't resist; bubbles all round!" Jack laughed.

Grace waved the wand around, producing another batch of bubbles, before her face became quite serious, "…You have to find Atlantis," she suddenly stated.

Sam stared at the abrupt change in her daughter, "…What?"

"You have to find it," she repeated, "and you will. They want you to find it."

"Who?" Jack frowned. He knew that her memories of her time with the Ancients would fade at a slow rate, her mind having no memories of her time as a normal human to replace those of being an Ancient. What memories she did have would be random and nonsensical, those of a mere baby. For her to function as a human child of the age she appeared, the age she had mentally reached during her year with the Ancients, the memories of her time with them would have to stay until she had matured enough to be rid of them, and eventually not even miss, or know they ever existed.

"The Ancients," Grace stated, "They're waiting for you to find Atlantis…they know you will be able to defend yourselves once you have found it…"

"Grace…how do you know all this?" her father questioned, worried.

"They spoke of it often," she nodded, "They have faith in you. But they wont interfere."

Sam reached out to her, "That doesn't matter anymore, leave that to us. You don't have to do things like this, you understand?"

"I know," Grace nodded, "One day I won't remember anything, so _She_ said. But you have to find it," she insisted.

"Why?" her parents asked in unison.

A small smile passed across her features;

"Because one day…I'm going to rule there."

**Fin**


End file.
